Скачать или смотреть Head Coach Marcus Freeman Reflects on Failure, Family & the Letter That Changed Notre Dame’s Season

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman sits down for a 1-on-1 conversation with Sports Illustrated Senior Writer Pat Forde following the Fighting Irish’s run to the 2025 National Championship Game.

In this in-depth discussion, Freeman opens up about growth through adversity, staying grounded under immense pressure, and the emotional letter he wrote after the Northern Illinois loss that helped change the trajectory of Notre Dame’s season.

From his upbringing and coaching influences to faith, failure, and the weight of leadership, Freeman offers candid reflections on what it truly means to guide one of the most iconic programs in college football.

Read Pat Forde’s full feature on Marcus Freeman in the September 2025 issue of Sports Illustrated.

___________________


0:00 – Marcus Freeman speaks on the desperation Notre Dame found after losing to Northern Illinois
0:47 – Freeman speaks on growing under the microscope at Notre Dame
1:26 – Marcus Freeman's disbelief in making a National Championship
2:21 – Marcus Freeman's wisdom through failure & the addiction to growth
3:14 – Notre Dame's lessons learned from the national championship run
3:57 – Meeting with his QB after Northern Illinois loss
4:26 – Leadership can be lonely
5:16 – Marcus Freeman reads his letter to his coaches
7:09 – "Sometimes you have to lose to win"
8:01 – Believing in the team amid public doubt
9:18 – The desperation that comes after loss
10:23 – Reflecting on the national championship game
12:05 – The practice decision Marcus Freeman would rethink
13:02 – Always striving, even after a win
14:40 – Confidence vs. fear as a head coach
15:41 – Family, failure, and responsibility
16:01 – Influence of his father and mother
17:38 – Marcus Freeman's mother & Korean-American heritage
18:03 – Empowering every person on the team
20:02 – Marcus Freeman speaks on getting fired at Purdue
21:44 – A heart condition ends his playing career
22:40 – Marcus Freeman speaks on becoming a GA at Ohio State overnight
23:04 – What made Coach Tressel great
24:09 – The "cover 3" moment
25:03 – The Lauryn Hill "law of progression"
26:05 – Coach Tressel’s advice during pivotal moments
26:28 – Gummy bears & daily discipline



Executive Producer: Alex Tzavalas
Producer/Director: Greg Cally
DP: EJ Watson
Audio: Lee Hart
Reporter/Writer: Pat Forde
Editor: Ori Galis

___________________

Sports Illustrated offers sports fans trusted, authentic, agenda-free reporting and storytelling featuring sports news, scores, photos, columns and expert analysis from the latest in today’s world of sports including NFL, NBA, MLB, college basketball, college football, soccer, golf, NHL, tennis and fantasy.